Seal-lock for loose-leaf binders and the like.



Patented Oct. 18,1910.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8, 1909.

WITNE S 5135 ARTHUR H. CHADWICK, OF HAMILTON, ONTARIO, CANADA.

SEAL-LOCK FOR LOOSE-LEAF BINDERS AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 8, 1909.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

Serial No. 526,927.

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seal-Locks for Loose-Leaf Binders and the Like, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in looks for loose leaf binders and the like and the main object is to provide a simple and eflicient lock which will prevent access to the operating mechanism of the binder.

A further object is to provide means whereby the identity of the last person opening the binder may be determined and whereby any unauthorized opening of the same will be at once detected.

A still further object is to provide a lock of such character that no two binders may be opened. with the same key.

Another object is to provide a look so constructed that the gate governing access to the operating mechanism of the binder cannot be operated independently of the lock and cannot be held in open position, either accidentally or purposely, while the lock is locked.

To accomplish these objects I make the operating shaftof the binder of such length that the same is entirely inclosed by the back of the binder, access being had to said shaft through an aperture in the end of the binder. Located within the end of the binder is the lock mechanism and the gate closing the aperture through which the shaft is operated, said mechanism being so disposed as to be absolutely inaccessible except by removing the leaves from the binder or destroying the framework thereof. The lock mechanism comprises a plurality of pivoted tumblers cooperating with the pivoted gate and a revoluble barrel slotted for the reception of the key which is provided with wards for operating the tumblers and the gate. seal plate is provided adapted to hold a seal over the barrel of the lock in order that when the key is inserted in the look it will perforate the seal.

In the drawings which illustrate my invention :Figure 1 is an end view of a loose leaf binder equipped with this locking and sealing device. Fig. 2 is a partial plan view of a binder corresponding to Fig. 1. Fig. 8

is an enlarged detail view of the lock mechanism 111 closed position. Flg. 4 1s a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the parts in open position. Fig. 5 is a plan View of the lock mechanism. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the lock barrel. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the seal plate. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the key adapted to operate the lock mechanism shown.

In the above defined figures 9 designates the side members of the binder back and 10 the center back member having integral end members 11. The side members of the back are connected by telescoping posts12 which are adapted to retain the leaves of the binder in the manner well known in devices of this class. The side members of the back are moved toward or away from each other by any suitable mechanism operated. by the shaft 13 which is provided with a polygonal end portion 14 for the reception of an operating key. It will be seen in Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawings that the shaft 13 is of such length that the portion 14 thereof lies with in the end member 11 of the binder back. A plate 15 is provided attached to the center back member so as to cover the polygonal portion 14 of the' shaft 13 in order that the binder may not be opened by inserting a small spanner or other instrument between the ends of the leaves and the end member 11 to operate the shaft 13. The end 11 is provided on its inner face with a recess 16 which occupies approximately one-half the depth of said member and is adapted to contain the lock mechanism. An aperture 17 is formed through the end member 11 axially in line with the shaft 13, through which a suitable key may be inserted to operate the shaft. This aperture 17 crosses and opens into the recess 16 so that one half of the aperture is through the solid metal of the end 11 while the other half opens into the recess. A semicircular aperture 18 is formed in the cover 19 of the lock to complete that portion of the aperture opening into the recess 16. A second aperture 20 is formed in the end member 11, to one side of and slightly below the aperture 17 so that only a small segment of said aperture opens into the recess 16.

The lock mechanism comprises a barrel 21 adapted to occupy the aperture 20 in the end member 11 and as the aperture 20 and recess 16 are intercommunicating a small segment of the barrel will project into the recess 16. A circumferential groove 22 is formed in the portion of the barrel which enters the recess 16 when the barrel is revolved, and a slot 23 is formed longitudinally of the barrel for the reception of a key 24, said slot extending from the outer end of the barrel to a point beyond the groove 22 and from this point the slot is undercut to receive the tip 25 of the key. It will be understood that the slot is formed radially in the barrel and is of such depth that when the key 24 is inserted therein the top edge 26 of the key will be flush with the outer curved surface of the barrel. A ward 27 is formed on the key and projects beyond the edge 26 thereof. A second ward 28 is formed in the key between the tip 25 thereof and the ward 27, said second ward being in the form of a depression below the edge 26. The wards 27 and 28 are so positioned on the key that when the same is inserted in the barrel the wards will register with the groove 22, the ward 28 being flush with the bottom of the groove. A stop 29 is provided on the barrel extending radially therefrom beyond the outer circumference. A groove 30 is formed in the end member 11, said groove being eccentric with respect to the aperture 20 and positioned to register with the groove 22 formed in the barrel. It will be readily understood that when the key is inserted in the barrel and turned that the arc of movement will be limited at one end by the point at which the projecting ward 27 of the key comes in contact with the bottom of the eccentric slot 30, and at the opposite end by the similar action of the stop 29 which projects beyond the barrel. It will thus be seen that the movement of the barrel is limited to a fraction of a revolution, the magnitude of the fraction being determined by the angle between the stop 29 and the key slot 23, which in this instance is approximately 120, as shown in the drawings; and it will be hereinafter pointed out that this limitation is essential to the perfect working of the device. A gate 31 is provided mounted at one end on a pivot 32 and provided at the opposite end with a substantially circular portion 33, of greater diameter than the aperture 17, and adapted to swing in the recess 16 to open and close the aperture 17. A groove 34 is formed in the end member 11 to seat the portion 33 of the gate when in closed position. It will thus be seen that the edges of the gate are protected against the insertion of any instrument thereunder to lift'the gate without first inserting the key 24 and operating the lock. The gate is provided with a tooth 35 which registers with the groove in the barrel and lies therein when the gate is in closed position. On the opposite side of the pivot 32 from the tooth 35 the gate is provided with a second tooth 36 separated from the body of the gate by an aperture 37, the tooth 36 being formed in a substantially circular curve whose center is the center of the pivot 32. A pair of tumblers 38 and 39, respectively, are provided, mounted on a common pivot 40 and each provided with a spring 41 adapted to maintain them normally in depressed position. These tumblers are mounted in line with the gate 31 and are adapted to register with the groove 22 in the barrel and also with the wards of the key 24, the tumbler 38 lying in the path of the ward 27 and the tumbler 39 in the path of the ward 28. The tumbler 38 is provided with two teeth 42 and 43, respectively, separated by an aperture 44, said aperture being adapted to receive the tooth 36 of the gate, and the tooth 43 of the tumbler 38 being adapted to enter the aperture 37 of the gate. The ends of the teeth 42 and 43 are formed in a circular curve, the center of which is the center of the pivot 40 and the adjacent end of the gate 31 is formed in a similar curve in order that when the lock is in closed position with the curved edges of the tumbler 38 and the gate 31 in contact, the tumbler may be swung upwardly on its pivot without shifting the gate. The tumbler 39 is provided with a single tooth 45 corresponding to the tooth 43 of the tumbler 38. When the device is in locked position, as shown in Fig. 3, the gate is lowered so that the portion 33 thereof rests in the groove 34 and closes the aperture 17. The tumblers 38 and 39 are held in the bottom of the groove 22 in the barrel by their springs 41, with the curved edges of the tumbler 38 and gate 31 abutting, as

above described. The tooth 42 of the tumbler 38 abuts the tooth 36 of the gate and the tooth 43 of the tumbler rests against the edge 46 of the gate so that the apertures 44 and 37 of the tumbler 38 and gate, respectively, are intercommunicating. The tooth 45 of the tumbler 39 is opposite the aperture 37 of the gate and the tooth 35 of the gate is held between the tumblers and the stop 29 of the barrel, the tip of the tooth lying in the groove 22 of the barrel. When the key 24 is inserted in the slot 23 in the barrel the tip 25 thereof enters the undercut portion of the slot so that the key is held in place in the slot. l/Vhen the key is turned the projecting ward 27 engages the under edge of the tumbler 38 and raises the same until the tooth 42 thereof disengages the tooth 36 of the gate and the aperture 44 of the tumbler registers with the tooth 36 of the gate, and the tooth 43 of the tumbler registers with the aperture 37 of the gate, the gate meanwhile remaining stationary. It will be remembered that the ward 28 of the key is flush with the bottom of the slot 22 in the barrel, so that the tumbler 39, which registers with the ward 28, will not be raised, its tooth 45 remaining opposite the aperture 37 of the gate. In this position the tumblers will be in the relation shown in Fig. 4, but the gate will still be as shown in Fig. 3, with the exception that the stop 29 on the barrel will have moved out of engagement with the tooth 35 of the gate, and the ward 27 of the key will have moved into engagement with the opposite side of the tooth 35. A continuation of the turning movement of the key will cause the projecting ward 27 to raise the gate, the tooth 36 of the gate entering the aperture 44 of the tumbler 38 and the teeth 43 and 45 of the tumblers 38 and 39, respectively, entering the aperture 37 of the gate so that the tumblers will be maintained in position after the wards of the key pass from under them. The ward 27 of the key continues to raise the gate 31 until the stop 29 of the barrel engages the bottom of the groove 30 and arrests the rotary motion. At this point the angle between the key and the tooth 35 of the gate is such that the ward 27 will maintain the gate in elevated position, free of'the aperture 17, which is now open for the insertion of a key adapted to operate the shaft 13. The parts are now in the relation shown in Fig. 4.

The sealing mechanism consists of a plate 47, preferably circular, adapted to be sunk in a recess 48 in the end member 11. A circular aperture 49, of the same diameter as the barrel 21, is formed eccentrically in the plate 47 and is adapted to register with the end of the barrel. A small recess 50 is formed in the periphery of the aperture 49 to allow the passage of the projecting ward 27 of the key and to prevent the insertion or withdrawal of said key at any other point. The plate is provided with a radially projecting lug 51 adapted to engage in a suitable aperture in the end member 11 to hold one side of the plate in the recess 48. Diametrically across the plate from the lug 51 a small post 52 is slidably mounted in the end member, at right angles to the plate and is adapted to normally maintain the plate elevated, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 5, by means of a small helical spring 53 located behind the post. The plate 47 is provided with a latch post which passes through the end member at a point where approximately one half of the latch post will lie in the re cess l6 and the other half will be embedded in the metal of the end member The side of the latch post 54 exposed in the recess 16 is tapered at the end, at 55, and is provided with a notch 56 immediately above the taper or bevel and on the same side of the post, said notch being in line with the gate 31 when the seal plate 47 is in position, flush with the surface of the end member 11. A

recess 57 is formed in the lower edge of the gate, opposite the latch post, and a flat spring 58 is placed across the mouth of said recess and is adapted to engage in the notch 56 of the latch post.

The use and operation of the device is as follows :-Each employee of a firm having legitimate right to open the binder for the purpose of removing or adding pages thereto is provided with a duplicate key for the binder. A number of paper seals are also providedhzwing any suitable means of identification, such as being consecutively numbered or inscribed with the name or initials of the particular person authorized to use them. When the user has completed his work with the binder he places a key on the polygonal end of the shaft 13 and closes the back members of the binder in the usual manner, to hold the leaves securely in place. He then removes the shaft key and locks the binder with the key 24 so that the gate 31 drops and closes the aperture 17 thus preventing access to the polygonal end of the shaft 13. If so desiredthe end member may be constructed with a recess corresponding to the recess 50 of the seal plate so that the key 24 can only be withdrawn when the lock is in closed position. Then the lock is closed the operator withdraws his key and places his seal on the under side of the seal plate, the seal being preferably provided with a perforation for the passage of the latch post 54. He then introduces the lug 51 of the seal plate into its seat in the end member 11 and presses the plate into place in the recess 48, forcing down the spring post 52 and forcing the latch post past the spring 58 on the gate so that the spring engages in the notch 56 of the latch post and holds the post and seal plate in place. In this position the end of the binder will ap pear as in Fig. 1, with the exception that the key slot in the barrel and the entire end of the barrel will be covered by the unbroken paper seal. As there is no external means of releasing the latch post from the spring 58 except by inserting a key in the lock the seal once placed in position under the seal plate cannot be removed or substituted without perforating same. Therefore, if an unauthorized person should obtain a key and open the binder he will be unable to place a fresh seal therein on closing the binder without leaving an indication of his unauthorized action. By means of the seals an exact record may be kept of all persons having had access to the binder and also of the time when the same was opened. lVhen the lock is first opened the plate 47 is thrown up by the spring pressed post 52 against the finger plate of the key and holds the key rigidly in the lock so that the barrel will not turn readily and allow the ward 27 of the key to escape from the tooth 35 of the gate allowing the gate to drop. WVhen the seal plate has been once released the lock may be again shut and the key removed in order to remove the seal plate therefrom. The binder can then be opened and closed at will without the inconvenience of having the key and seal plate projecting from the end thereof. hen finally closed and locked the seal plate is replaced with a fresh unbroken seal thereunder, the identification on the fresh seal indicating the person who last opened the binder. If an attempt is made to lock the gate in open position the stop 29 on the barrel will engage the tooth 35 of the gate prematurely and prevent the barrel being rotated sufficiently to allow the removal of the key, furthermore the seal plate could not be placed in position as the latch spring 58 carried by the gate would lie out of the path of the latch post.

It will be obvious that by altering the relation of the wards of the key and making corresponding alterations in the tumblers and barrel a number of locks may be made exactly similar except for the difference in the throw of the tumblers, so that no two binders may be operated by one key.

Having thus described my invention so that the same may be readily understood, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent. is

1. In a binder lock, the combination with a binder having an operating shaft, of a pivoted gate, a seal plate, and means for engaging the gate to hold the seal plate in position.

2. In a binder lock, the combination with a binder having an operating shaft, of a pivoted gate, a seal plate, an imperforate seal, and means carried by the seal plate for engaging the gate when in closed position.

3. In a binder lock the combination with a binder having an operating shaft and an access orifice therefor, of a gate pivoted within the end of the binder and adapted to close said orifice, a seal plate, and means for locking the gate in closed position.

4. In a binder seal lock the combination with a binder having an operating shaft and an access orifice therefor, of a gate pivoted within the end of the binder and adapted to close said orifice, means for locking said gate in closed position, a seal plate adapted to hold an imperforate seal over said gate locking means, and means carried by the seal plate for engaging the gate when in closed position to hold the seal plate in place.

5. In a binder lock, the combination with a binder having an operating shaft and access orifice therefor through the binder end, of a gate pivoted within the binder end, said gate being larger than the orifice and adapted to overlap the same when closed, key operated mechanism for locking said gate in closed position and for unlocking and raising said gate, and a plate at right angles to the gate for protecting the end of the operating shaft.

6. In a binder lock the combination with a binder having an operating shaft and an access orifice therefor, of a gate pivoted within the end of the binder and adapted to close said orifice, means for locking said gate in closed position, an imperforate seal over said gate, operating mechanism whereby the insertion of a key will perforate the seal, and means for ejecting the seal plate when the gate is opened.

7. In a binder lock the combination with a binder having an operating shaft and access orifice therefor through the binder end, of a gate pivoted within the binder end and adapted to close said orifice, a lock barrel revolubly mounted in the binder end having a circumferential groove and a longitudinally disposed radial key slot therein intersecting the groove, said groove being positioned to register with the gate, a stop located in said barrel groove projecting beyond the circumference of the barrel, a tooth on said gate normally lying in the barrel groove and abutting the upper side of said barrel stop, a locking tooth on said gate separated therefrom by a recess a plurality of pivoted tumblers collectively equal in thickness to the gate and normally projecting into the barrel groove and abutting the opposite side of the gate tooth from the barrel stop, teeth on one or more of said tumblers, normally abutting the gate end and end of the gate locking tooth, said tumbler teeth being separated by a recess registering with the recess between the gate and gate locking tooth, and one or more of said tumblers having a tooth in register with the recess between the gate and gate locking tooth, and a key adapted to be inserted in the key slot in the barrel and having wards adapted to register with the barrel groove and engage the lower edges of the tumblers whereby the same may be adjusted, said key wards being adapted to subsequently engage the gate tooth to raise the gate whereby the locking tooth thereof will mesh with the tumbler teeth to hold the tumblers as adjusted by the key wards.

8. In a binder seal-lock the combination with a binder having an operating shaft an barrel groove projecting beyond the cirl cumference of the barrel, a tooth on said gate normally lying in the barrel groove and abutting the upper side of said barrel stop, a locking tooth on said gate separated therefrom by a recess, a plurality of pivoted tumblers collectively equal in thickness to the gate and normally projecting into the barrel groove and abutting the opposite side of the 'gate tooth from the barrel stop, teeth on one or more of said tumblers normally abutting the gate end and end of the gate locking tooth, said tumbler teeth being separated by a recess registering with the recess between the gate and gate locking tooth, and one or more of said tumblers having a tooth in register with the recess between the gate and gate locking tooth, a seal plate adapted to hold a seal in position in the seal plate recess in the binder end and having an aperture therein registering with the barrel end, a retaining lug for said seal plate, and a latch post carried by the seal plate and adapted to engage the latch spring of the gate to hold the seal plate in position.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

A. H. CHADWIGK. 

